Coalition to trial opt-out rather than opt-in electronic health records

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The federal health minister, Sussan Ley, says system will include everyone except for those who do not want their medical history made available

The federal health minister, Sussan Ley, says the electronic health records trial will involve about 1 million people in Queensland and New South Wales. Photograph: Mike Bowers for the Guardian

The Coalition government plans to trial electronic health records that will be available to all in the trial area, not just those who opt in.

A review of the former Labor government’s personally controlled electronic health record system, released last year, found problems with its opt-in nature, limited range of clinical information and usability.

A key criticism of the system was that it could not be used unless a patient signed up, rather than an all-inclusive system that takes in all except those who choose to opt out because they do not want their medical history made available.

Sussan Ley, the health minister, will tell the National Press Club on Wednesday an all-inclusive trial of the new my health record will start early next year.

It will involve about 1 million people in far north Queensland and in the NSW Nepean-Blue Mountains region.

“This will help deliver better health outcomes for patients the first time and cut down on unnecessary risks and inefficiencies in the system currently frustrating doctors,” Ley said.

The government was also considering allowing patients full access to their personalised health data and control over its use.

Such access opened up many possibilities.

“What if you, as a consumer, were able to take your personal Medicare and pharmaceutical benefit scheme data to a healthcare service, to an app developer, to a dietitian, to a retailer, and say how can you deliver the best health services for my individual needs?” said Ley.

This already happened in industries such as the finance sector.